Babel
Mumford %26 Sons Lyrics
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And I’ll go along with everything you say
But I’ll ride home laughing, look at me now
The walls of my town, they come crumbling down
And my ears hear the call of my unborn sons
And I know that choices color all I’ve done
But I’ll explain it all to the watchman’s son,
'Cause I'll know my weakness, know my voice,
And I'll believe in grace and choice
And I know perhaps my heart is fast,
but I’ll be born without a mask
Like the city that nurtured my greed and my pride,
I stretch my arms into the sky
I cry Babel! Babel! Look at me now
But the walls of my town, they come crumbling down
You ask where will we stand in the winds that will howl,
As all we see will slip into the cloud
So come down from your mountain and stand where we’ve been,
You know our breath is weak and our bodies thin
Press my nose up to the glass around your heart
I should’ve known I was weaker from the start
You’ll build your walls and I will play my bloody part
To tear, tear them down. Well I’m gonna tear, tear them down!
'Cause I know my weakness know my voice, and I'll believe in grace and choice
And I know perhaps my heart is fast, but I’ll be born without a mask
The lyrics of Mumford & Sons' song 'Babel' are full of poetic and metaphorical imagery that require careful consideration. The first verse talks about the passage of time and suggests that the singer is willing to go along with anything despite knowing that their days are numbered. However, they still find joy in their laughter and the walls of their town are crumbling down. This suggests that the singer is willing to shake off the shackles of their old life and embrace a new future, despite the uncertainty of what's to come.
In the second verse, the singer talks about hearing the call of their unborn sons, indicating that they have a strong sense of responsibility towards the future generations. They also acknowledge the role their choices have played in shaping their life trajectory. The singer is willing to explain their journey to the watchman's son, suggesting that they are eager to offer guidance and wisdom to others.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Look at me now," highlighting the singer's growth and transformation. They are no longer the person they used to be, and they are proud of the progress they have made. The imagery of the walls of their town crumbling down is used again, emphasizing the idea of breaking free from the past.
Overall, 'Babel' is a powerful song about self-discovery and transformation. The singer acknowledges their weaknesses and the mistakes they have made but is confident in their ability to start anew and live a life filled with grace and choice.
Line by Line Meaning
Cause I know that time has numbered my days
I am aware of my finite existence and mortality.
And I’ll go along with everything you say
I will comply with others' requests and demands.
But I’ll ride home laughing, look at me now
Despite following others, I am content with my life and confident in myself.
The walls of my town, they come crumbling down
The constraints and limitations of my hometown are falling away.
And my ears hear the call of my unborn sons
I feel a strong motivation to pave the way for my future offspring.
And I know that choices color all I’ve done
I understand that every decision has shaped the person I am today.
But I’ll explain it all to the watchman’s son,
I will justify my choices to someone who is understanding and non-judgmental.
I ain't ever lived a year better spent in love
No year of my life has been more fulfilling than the ones where I have loved deeply.
Cause I'll know my weakness, know my voice,
I will be aware of my limitations and confident in expressing my thoughts and opinions.
And I'll believe in grace and choice
I will have faith in both the power of forgiveness and the freedom to choose my own path.
And I know perhaps my heart is fast,
I may experience strong emotions and impulses.
but I’ll be born without a mask
I will be true to myself and not hide behind a false persona.
Like the city that nurtured my greed and my pride,
The place where I grew up influenced some of my less desirable traits.
I stretch my arms into the sky
I am reaching for something beyond my current circumstances.
I cry Babel! Babel! Look at me now
I proudly proclaim my accomplishments despite my humble beginnings.
You ask where will we stand in the winds that will howl,
The future is uncertain, and we do not know how we will fare in difficult times.
As all we see will slip into the cloud
Everything we know and cherish will eventually fade away.
So come down from your mountain and stand where we’ve been,
Experience the realities of life from a new perspective, rather than being distant and removed.
You know our breath is weak and our bodies thin
We all have human limitations and vulnerabilities that make us fragile.
Press my nose up to the glass around your heart
I want to understand the innermost thoughts and feelings of those closest to me.
I should’ve known I was weaker from the start
I should have recognized my own imperfections and limitations from the beginning.
You’ll build your walls and I will play my bloody part
Others may set up barriers, but I will do my part to overcome them.
To tear, tear them down. Well I’m gonna tear, tear them down!
I am determined to break down any obstacles or limitations that stand in my way.
Contributed by Scarlett J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@paythewittness
Lyrics
I know the time has numbered my days,
And I'll go along with everything you say
But I'll ride home laughing, look at me now,
For the walls of my tower they come crumbling down
And my ears hear the call of my unborn sons,
And I know the choices color all I've done
But I'll explain it all to the watchman's son,
I ain't ever lived a year better spent in love
'Cause I know my weakness, know my voice
And I'll believe in grace and choice
And I know perhaps my heart is fast
But I'll be born without a mask
Like the city that nurtured my greed and my pride,
I stretched my arms into the sky
I cry Babel, Babel, look at me now
For the walls of my tower they come crumbling down
You ask where will we stand in the winds that will howl
Is all we see we'll slipping to the cloud?
So come down from your mountain and stand where we've been
You know our breath is weak and our body thin
Press my nose up to the glass around your heart
I should've known I was weaker from the start
You'll build your walls, and I will play my bloody part
To tear, tear them down
Well I'm gonna tear, tear them down
'Cause I know my weakness, know my voice
And I'll believe in grace and choice
And I know perhaps my heart is fast
But I'll be born without a mask
@Mortar-
Lyrics!
'Cause I know that time has numbered my days
And I'll go along with everything you say
But I'll ride home laughing, look at me now
Then the walls of my town, they come crumbling down
And my ears hear the call of my unborn sons
And I know their choices colour all I've done
But I'll explain it all to the watchman's son
I ain't ever lived a year better spent in love
'Cause I'll know my weakness, know my voice
And I'll believe in grace and choice
And I know perhaps my heart is farce
But I'll be born without a mask, woo
Like the city that nurtured my greed and my pride
I stretched my arms into the sky
I cry Babel! Babel! Look at me now
Then the walls of my town, they come crumbling down
You ask where will we stand in the winds that will howl
As all we see will slip into the cloud
So come down from your mountain and stand where we've been
You know our breath is weak and our body thin
Press my nose up to the glass around your heart
I should've known I was weaker from the start
You'll build your walls and I will play my bloody part
To tear, tear them down
Well I'm gonna tear, tear them down
'Cause I know my weakness, know my voice
And I'll believe in grace and choice
And I know perhaps my heart is farce
But I'll be born without a mask
@Debbymercy04
2024??? anyone around??
@stevemilton3499
Rite hurr
@KaiZL07
I'm right here!!
@DREAMLAER
естественно !
@RL-he9pv
Never left
@eboatwright3869
Hereee
@shadowthelab2534
The fact that they made it so huge in this era is amazing. They're an old town string band and they managed to make it impossible not to love their tunes. Marcus Mumford also has an uniquely amazing voice.
@jordancoleman2402
I was in the darkest chapter of my life when I first heard "the cave" and that song moved me so much it became my anthem as took back all I lost got clean and slowly rebuilt my life. Saw them in Chicago on the Gentleman of the road tour for my 6th year anniversary of being clean and it was the best show hands down ever.
@unapprovedtruth7116
I remember: December 2012 this song was brand new, my friend Emilio plays it at a juke box at a hole in the wall bar called JD's Saloon we used to shoot pool at and the whole bar was stomping our feet in unison with that kick drum. It was such a time.
@carolinebw55
Saw this band /live in Bury st Edmunds, 2012, with my husband,and not only were there absolutely brilliant musicians, they can sing too ! They also had alot of empathy for their fans too ! Due to the fact that alot of people were not as fortunate as my husband and I were, to be given VIP Tickets, the band decided, that there were equivallent people waiting outside the theatre as there was inside the theatre watching them, So they went outside after the "Gig" and played live 4 songs to the people waiting in the cold, ! How many Bands would do that for their followers ? mmmm